A 1-1 draw at a strong Stockport County side is nothing to be sniffed at, and the performance, too, was solid.

But the Blues could, and possibly should, have taken all three points from Edgeley Park after being the better side for long periods and creating a number of clear cut chances.

Akwasi Asante opened the scoring with his fourth in 123 minutes of football for Chester with a close range finish on 33 minutes but a dubious penalty given after an alleged handball by Deane Smalley on the stroke of half time allowed Stockport to level from the spot through Sam Walker.

The Blues had chances to win it but couldn't find a way past the inspired Ben Hinchcliffe, but it was a strong performance in front of a superb away following that keeps them in touch near the top of the National League North.

It was a game that had the feel of one much higher up the English football pyramid, not in the sixth tier.

Two teams who both have a proud Football League history were going toe to toe in a league encounter for the first time in 10 years, although Chester's last trip to Edgeley Park came in December 2014 when the Blues progressed to the first round proper courtesy of a 4-2 win.

Chester were roared on by a big following that day and they were well backed once again on this dismal December day, where the rain lashed down pre-match to give the ground staff some cause for concern, however brief.

In came midfielder Gary Roberts after suspension as he took the place of teenager Cain Noble, and there was a start for Adam Dawson on the left wing following the one-match ban for Dan Mooney, sent off for two bookable offences in the success over the Quakers.

A win for third-placed Chester would keep the pressure on league leaders Bradford (Park Avenue) while the Hatters were looking to make up ground on the play-offs after their FA Cup exit at the hands of Barnet last weekend.

It was the home side who had the first sight of goal on four minutes when a swift break back to front sent Matty Warburton on his way but, under the watchful eye of Danny Livesey, he dragged his 18 yard effort just wide of Grant Shenton's left-hand post.

Four minutes later and the Blues came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock when Dawson did well to run at the County defence before being crowded out, but he managed to shift the ball right and cause panic which ended with Asante shooting low and hard from 12 yard but seeing his effort crash off the inside of the post, much to Stockport keeper Ben Hinchcliffe's relief.

It was an end to end opening period and while the Blues pressed, Stockport were a big threat on the counter attack.

The home side had another sniff of goal on 12 minutes when Frank Mulhern ran at Livesey and fashioned some room but his right foot shot was straight at Shenton from 12 yards.

Chester were dealt a blow on 22 minutes when Livesey picked up an injury and was forced to hobble off and with no defensive cover was replaced by Deane Smalley, with the striker taking up a place alongside Steve Howson at the heart of defence.

Stockport started to try and take advantage and Adam Thomas saw a chance snuffed out at close range before Smalley's mistake allowed Mulhern in, squaring to an unmarked Warburton whose effort from 10 yards hit the post and bounced out when he really should have scored.

At the other end on 32 minutes a sublime turn and strike from Asante was beaten away well by Hinchcliffe as far as Simon Grand who curled a deflected effort just over.

But from the resulting Dawson corner the Blues took the lead - and it was that man again. Asante was the quickest to react and was on hand to stab home from the Irishman's delivery and make it four goals in two games since his loan spell from Tamworth began.

Stockport looked to hit back immediately, though, and applied some pressure to the makeshift Blues back line but a Thomas header from an inswinging corner went unrewarded.

But the Hatters would manage to haul themselves level on the strike of half time when Scott Duxbury whipped in a free kick from 35 yards out where the ball then ricocheted around the box before referee Adam Herczog pointed to the spot after deeming Smalley to have handled.

Walker duly stepped up to beat Shenton from the spot on the stroke of half time to cue plenty of ire from away fans directed at the man in black.

HALF TIME: STOCKPORT 1 CHESTER 1

While the first half was an open and entertaining affair the second period began in a rather flat fashion, with a Gary Roberts effort from distance that deflected out for a wasted corner the only offering of note early on.

County did have a chance to break soon after when Roberts' pass back to defence was short and substitute Darren Stephenson picked it off, but despite their numbers piling forward the home side couldn't make it count.

It took until 66 minutes for the first meaningful chance of the second half. Steve Howson surged forward into open space from the back and found Asante who then teed up Dudley to curl one goalwards from 20 yards but Hinchcliffe was equal to it with a diving stop to tip it wide.

And 60 seconds later the Blues had a great chance to regain the lead when Grand whipped in a superb cross which found the head of the in-form Asante whose close range effort was kept out by Hinchcliffe.

Chester were the better side and creating the better opportunities but they were struggling to make their dominance count.

Another good chance went begging on 74 minutes when Mahon beat his man and curled in a cross to the far post where Dudley was waiting but his header was just about stopped on the line by the busy Hinchcliffe.

At the other end former Chester striker Nyal Bell, a second half substitute, shot at Shenton from 18 yards before Stockport wasted their best chance of the half two minutes later.

Warburton's cross found the run of Duxbury into the box but the defender could only head over from close range when he really should have found the target.

Stockport were now in the ascendancy and they were presented with another big chance on 81 minutes when a corner from the right caused a melee in the box and Warburton's 12-yard effort was blocked when it looked destined for the net.

Chester had a late chance with three minutes when Howson scooped a great ball over the County defence to Asante, but the big striker couldn't get away a powerful effort and Hinchcliffe, who was named man of the match for the home side, gathered.

And there was a chance for referee Herczog to award a penalty to Chester late on when Sam Minihan clearly handled in the area but, much to the chagrin of the Blues bosses, it was waved away.

A late melee in the box caused some panic for Chester as County pushed for a winner but the Blues held out for a decent point, however it could have been three on another day.